2016

Between Surges of Doubt and Newly Emerging Empathies:
Do politics become a seismograph for tourism?

What is happening in tourism has hardly ever been influenced by so many factors as it is now. The old rule that in case of problems in popular destinations everything can be stabilised via the price alone no longer holds. Consumers – strongly influenced by their subjective sense of security – have long been able to differentiate between singular events (attacks in Paris, incidents in Brussels, Nice, Munich) and changes that they consider enduring. Egypt is such an example, and of late also Turkey.
Surges of concerns caused by politics might lead to increasing antipathies towards a destination (people might refrain from booking), while other places get praise in advance, and new favours may emerge. See the booming demand for Iran. One might believe that "the seismograph for tourists is politics", while one could also ask in turn: Do politics become a seismograph for tourism?
If in addition socially dubious aspects, critical aspects in terms of human rights, or questionable aspects in the areas of environmental and health policies play a role here and there (holidays in areas with high air pollution are not attractive), the situation becomes increasingly difficult. Leading to the question what will happen to the people employed in tourism when tourists no longer book or no longer like to book their country?
Considerations like these will be on the agenda of the 22nd Ammerlander Talk on 13th October 2016 at the House of Literature in Munich. The introductory presentations will be from different perspectives.

Presenter
Andreas Stopp, Journalist, Deutschlandfunk

Speakers and Statements
Prof. em. Dr. Farsin BankiThe seismograph for tourists is politics
Christiane SchlötzerWho perceives what in which manner? Or – the reversal of Turkey’s positive image
Oliver SchneiderSecurity in insecure times
Frank PüttmannPacking suitcases against poverty? Challenges and opportunities of sustainable tourism